


In the Shadow of the Night

by Long_May_She_Reign



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate World, Alternative World, Angels, Conspiracy, Dark, Deception, Demons, Evil, F/M, Fairies, Ghosts, Goblins, Good, Good vs Evil, Japanese, Magic, Monsters, Murder, Plots, Toads, Treason, University, Vampites, Witches, Wizards, Zombies, anime book idea, animeish book, animeish idea, castle - Freeform, light - Freeform, light and dark, mansion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 19:48:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8935765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Long_May_She_Reign/pseuds/Long_May_She_Reign
Summary: Stonmer is a University built for those of a certain persuasion- the monster kind. This book is supposed to be anime-ish in how it is written and the plot. It probably sucks but I thought I'd try something new.





	

Chapter 1: The Beginning  
Evereen stood at the window looking out. The world was blanketed in a fog, masking what lay beyond the glassy panes. She could just make out trees that hovered on the edge of the thick fog that clung to the earth like a blanket. There was a rose bush right beside the window whose red flowers were brave enough to shine forth like stardust in the thick of the gray, but even their beauty was suppressed by the fog that had ensnared the Ciarda’s property. Evereen’s eyes passed searchingly along the horizon of the fog as she tried desperately to spot even one spike of the fence, but all was hidden. As she watched her mother, Lady Rosamund, strode silently up to her daughter, placing her hands gently on either of Evereen’s shoulders.   
“Come away from here, my dear.” she ordered in a soft and melodious voice that drifted through the crevices of the room.  
“Why, what are you scared I’ll see?” Evereen questioned, searching all the harder.  
“It’s best not to ask questions concerning your father’s business, Evereen.”  
Evereen turned to her mother, needing to see her face. “Why? Am I not his daughter?”  
“Your father feels you are not ready.” her mother said gently, moving her hands up to place them lovingly on her daughter's face. Evereen twisted her head so that she didn’t have to feel her mother’s touch.   
“So he believes me to be inept,” she remarked bitterly as her hands tightened into fists.  
“He believes you to be young.”  
Evereen’s lip curled. “Please, mother, spare me. There is no difference in his eyes.”   
Rosamund let her hands fall away from where they had hovered hopefully near her daughter, knowing there was no use. “Liandra, fetch us some tea before Evereen leaves.”   
Liandra, one of the house maids, gave a tiny curtsy before backing slowly out of the room. Evereen turned back towards the window. The fog began to lift and Evereen saw the flash of a dark shadow. She drew in a breath and pressed closer to the window. As she brought her hands up to press against the window there was a sound like slithering and the curtain fell down.  
“I said no.” Rosamund said with a definitively icy note, although she still maintained that calm demeanor. Her voice never had to be raised for threats to be implied, as with any well-bred lady.  
Evereen scowled heavily and turned towards one of her Ladies in Waiting, Niora. “Did you see it as well?”   
Niora had the common sense to look away and remain silent.  
“For goodness sake, Evereen.” her mother began to chide her exasperatedly, but before she could continue Liandra walked in with a tray that held a teapot and delicate china glasses. They were flat and wavy, formed in the shape of seashells. Their edges were gilded with the finest of gold and their centers had a red and gold flower and leaves pattern. Evereen accepted the one she was handed and tipped over the suspiciously red liquid, pouring it down her aching throat. It had been too long since she drank- she hadn’t had much desire to come out of her room as of late. Her father strode into the room as she pulled the glass away from her cherry lips.   
“Rosamund, is everything ready?” he asked shortly as he quickly peeled off his spotless white gloves. They were deceptive- they made it seem like his hands were pristine when Evereen knew them to be covered in blood.   
Evereen’s mother dipped her head meekly as she grasped her hands in front of her. “Yes. Evereen is all packed and the limo is awaiting her out front.”  
“Good. Evereen, you remember what I told you?”  
“Yes, father.” Evereen said quietly, adopting the same stance as her mother.   
“That is well. Good-bye then, darling.”  
“Good-bye father and mother.” Evereen said as she gave both of them a peck on the cheek.   
She started towards the door, her two ladies in waiting trailing silently behind her, but was halted by a shout. “Evereen! Mistreeeess! You cannot leave without your cloak!”  
“Marikeen, leave it be!” the voice of Evereen’s father cut across the distance like a snake through the grass, sliding over Evereen’s skin like oil. His eyes flashed red as he looked at the maid as she held out the cloak, and her hand slowly fell. Wordlessly, Evereen held out her hand.   
“Thank you, mistress.” the maid whispered so softly only Evereen’s ears could pick up on it as she handed her master the cloak. Evereen threw it about her shoulders and went through the door, bursting out into the sunlight. It was like a whole different world in the front of the house, opposite of where the fog was. Drops of molten gold touched Evereen’s skin, and the rays of golden light seemed to battle with the silver of her skin, warm fighting with hot. Evereen drew the hood of the cloak up, cutting off all traces of that golden touch on her skin, and once again surrounding herself in darkness. Her two other ladies in waiting that were to accompany her, Liandra and Niora, flanked her. The third and youngest, Sakura, was staying behind. She was relatively new to this position and Evereen’s mother had wanted her to stay behind so that she could be supervised and properly instructed in how to attend to her lady’s needs.  
“My Lady.” the chauffeur said humbly as he bowed his head, holding the limousine door ajar for her. She climbed in while her maids went around and climbed through the other side.   
As soon as they climbed in, a smile stretched across Liandra’s face, bringing light into her eyes. She was finally able to relax, now that she was away from Lord Ciadra.   
“We’re on our way to school! This is going to be great. I already have all the plans drawn up. I wonder if the boys there will be really cute? Maybe I could meet a nice necromancer, or a fairy. Oh, it would be so nice to meet a fairy! Don’t you think it would just be-”  
“Liandra, hush!” Niora snapped suddenly, her eyes flashing in fury. She looked up from where she’d been staring out the window, her chin propped up dismally on her hand, to impart the full fury of her gaze on poor Liandra.   
“Fine then, spoil sport. Don’t be upset with me just because you can’t see how fun this is going to be.”  
“You never stop, do you?”  
“Just because I enjoy life, you find every reason to bully me!”  
“No, it’s because you’re an annoying little-  
“Silence.” Evereen cut in coldly. Both Liandra and Niora looked towards her guiltily.  
“I am not amused by this.”   
“Yes, mistress.” the two chorused at once. Evereen went back to looking out the window.  
“But… aren’t you curious, Evereen? Don’t you wonder what it will be like?”   
Evereen stared out the window at the landscape that was quickly passing them by, noting how the green was just like the shades of the garden she had left behind. “I know what it will be like. The same as everywhere else. The people won’t be different, the places, the sights, the smells. In the end it’s always the same.”

Syian slung his backpack over his shoulder and turned to gaze at himself in the mirror that hung by his bed. “University- you’re going, you’re going to study hard, you’re going to do great, and you will make your aunt proud.” he told himself with more confidence than he felt as he gazed at himself standing there, awkward as always. What was reflected in the mirror was nothing particularly impressive or confidence-inducing. Syian was lanky and tall- he had the slender build of a track runner or tennis player, but not the skin of one. He was as pale as marble and the black hair that hung across his face in straight sheets didn’t help. His eyes were the warmest thing about him- they were moments of sunshine over grass and water captured at the most enrapturing time. His mother had used to tell him it was because when he was born all the light and love that she could possibly hold in her heart went into him. Thinking about her now saddened him. He wish he had one thing to remind him of her when he looked into the mirror, but with his slim, dimpled jaw and lips, deep set eyes, and strong yet thin nose they looked nothing alike. He turned away from his reflection, not needing another moment spent remembering her. He had to focus on the future. With a heaving sigh he put on a grin he only had to half-fake and threw open his bedroom door.   
“Aunt Sue!” he shouted as he strode into the kitchen. His aunt turned away from the pastry she had just finished up to kiss her nephew.   
“Syian, did you finish packing?”   
“I’ve got it all here.” he said proudly as he placed his pack on the counter to show her.  
“You only packed one bag?” she said in an astounded voice, her eyebrows quirked.  
“I know you were worried I would go to university and never see you again so I left a lot behind as reassurance.” Syian explained as he grabbed an apple out of the glass bowl they kept by the refrigerator and took a bite, feeling the sweet juices explode in his mouth.  
“I’m not actually worried. You wouldn’t do that, I know.” she grabbed the apple out of his hand as he went to take another bite.  
“Heeeey!” he complained.  
“Hush now, it will be no more of this junk from now on! It will be pastries and cakes from here on out, and there will be not argument on that matter.” she said mock-sternly with a little wink as she handed him the finished pastry and a plastic container full of assorted goodies.  
“Of course, chef, but there is something you should know.”  
“And what’s that?”  
“You’ve got a little piece of the pastry on your cheek.” Syian chuckled as he poked his aunt where she had a large streak of flour running across her cheek.  
“My, my, my, that IS a consequence of being in the kitchen, isn’t it?”  
There was a honk outside as they stood their talking, and both of their heads whipped towards it. Syian licked his suddenly dry lips.  
“That will be your uncle.” his aunt said breathily, and Syian felt his heart plummet. His throat became unexplainably tight and he was suddenly glad his aunt had taken the apple from him. He doubted he could take another bite.  
He breathed out heavily as his aunt grasped him despairingly and pulled him in for a squeezing hug. “Keep your head down and be safe.” she whispered beseechingly.   
Syian gave his aunt a reassuring kiss on her head. “Hey, I’m invisible. I bet a hundred bucks nobody at that school notices me all year.” he pulled himself out of his aunts grasp and gave her one last kiss on the cheek before heading towards the door. He reached it and put his hand on the doorknob, ready to step outside and join the world which he had been kept from his whole life, but he couldn’t leave, not yet. Turning back to his aunt, he gave a tender smile. “You’ve always been like a mother to me. Thank you. You should know I love you dearly and no matter what happens, I will make you proud.”   
Those words broke her heart as Syian stepped out of the door and left her life.


End file.
